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When building a completely new digital experience, it’s tempting to focus on replicating the best features of existing tools. But doing that can result in a product that feels derivative or fails to address genuine user needs. Instead, the key is to go deeper than surface-level observations. User interviews are a powerful way to do this.
Well-conducted interviews offer detailed insights into why and how people approach their tasks and what’s really standing in their way. By focusing on actual user problems and avoiding feature-led discussions, teams can shape solutions that meet real needs—rather than guess or just copy.
Why User Interviews?
- Uncover Underlying Motivations
People often adapt to subpar solutions, working around frustrations or limitations. Interviews help teams understand these adaptations and the root problems that current tools don’t solve. It’s about learning what people genuinely need, which may be very different from what they ask for if you simply say, “What do you want us to build?” - Avoid Merely Rebuilding Existing Solutions
Observing how people use today’s digital tools can be helpful, but it might also trap you into thinking in terms of existing solutions. Interviews that focus on user goals and pain points—rather than the specific features of current software—help identify how to build something truly new. - Deepen Empathy and Clarity
By hearing the stories, struggles, and workarounds directly from users, development teams and designers can build genuine empathy. This empathy ensures you address real problems instead of “perceived” ones.
Key Principle: Non-Leading, Open-Ended Questions
A crucial aspect of effective user interviews is asking non-leading, open-ended questions. Leading questions can bias respondents—subtly suggesting that there’s a “right answer” or inadvertently steering them toward your assumptions. Instead, open-ended questions encourage people to share their authentic experiences and motivations.
- Leading question: “Isn’t the current feature set confusing?”
- Non-leading alternative: “How do you feel about the features you use regularly?”
When users feel free to respond however they like, you’re more likely to hear about unexpected needs or hidden frustrations. This approach protects against building a product that only fixes problems you guessed they had.
Step-by-Step Guide
- Define Your Objectives
Clarify what you need to learn. Are you exploring a certain workflow? Trying to identify the biggest frustrations? Pinpoint the user types you care about and outline the topics you want to discuss. Having crystal-clear research objectives helps keep the conversation on track. - Find the Right Participants
Seek out people who resemble your target audience. This might mean existing users of similar tools or those who have the problem you’re trying to solve. A well-defined recruitment plan ensures you’re speaking to individuals whose experiences match your product’s focus. - Create an Interview Guide
Develop a loose script or list of questions that flow logically from general to specific. Start with easy, openers like “Tell me about your role,” then move into deeper territory: “Can you walk me through how you currently handle [task]?” Aim to capture why they do things a certain way, what roadblocks they face, and how they work around them. - Conduct the Interview (Keep it Conversational)
- Start Casual: Make the participant comfortable with a quick personal intro or small talk.
- Ask Open-Ended Questions: Avoid yes/no structure. Let the user explain in their own words.
- Dig Deeper: If they mention something interesting—like “It takes forever to update”—prompt them to elaborate: “What do you mean by that? Can you give me an example?”
- Stay Neutral: Resist reacting strongly or suggesting solutions. Keep asking them for more context: “Why do you think that is?”
- Record with Permission: You’ll catch details in a recording (audio or video) that note-taking alone may miss.
- Start Casual: Make the participant comfortable with a quick personal intro or small talk.
- Synthesize the Insights
After the interviews, analyze all notes and recordings to spot patterns. Group similar issues or goals that multiple participants raised. This reveals bigger themes, such as “Collaboration challenges” or “Needs offline access.” By focusing on the underlying problem rather than just surface-level feature requests, your team can design solutions that actually solve those problems. - Translate Findings Into Action
Share the patterns with your team. Identify priority issues or unmet needs that should guide your next steps—whether it’s brainstorming new functionality or adjusting your product roadmap. Whenever you see the temptation to just replicate an existing feature, revisit what users actually said and ask: Does this directly address a need we heard?
Avoiding the Copycat Trap
Many teams watch how competitors’ apps are used and assume they must have the same feature set. While it’s helpful to understand the landscape, interviews should go further by revealing gaps in the market—gaps that no existing tool currently addresses. That’s where new opportunities lie.
If questions are framed around “Would you like a feature like X in [existing tool]?”, you risk hearing polite agreement rather than true insights. Instead, encourage participants to describe their problems in detail. When someone does suggest a specific solution—like “I wish your tool had an offline mode”—ask follow-ups to uncover why they need that. You might discover a deeper issue, leading to an even better solution than the user’s initial request.
Conclusion
User interviews aren’t just about finding out what people think of a current tool; they’re a way to dig into why they use it, what they wish they could do differently, and where they encounter friction. By asking non-leading, open-ended questions and focusing on behaviors and needs, teams can discover insights that go beyond the status quo.
This approach ensures you don’t fall into the trap of just replicating existing features. Instead, you’ll be equipped to build genuinely innovative solutions that address real user needs—ultimately creating a new digital experience that stands apart from the crowd.
